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The issue of food safety spans the spectrum of the specialty crops industry having potentially damaging impacts on the entire supply chain.
General food safety guidance is highlighted as well as specific tools that all growers should have either developed for their individual farms or have at their fingertips!
Specific resources have been designed to assist growers in discussions with their clients, whether school tours, community supported agriculture (CSA) members or u-pick customers, on food safety practices that they are implementing on their own farm and the role that each of them play in keeping our food supply fresh and safe.
To find more resources, click on strawberry food safety

The issue of food safety spans the spectrum of the specialty crops industry having potentially damaging impacts on the entire supply chain.
General food safety guidance is highlighted as well as specific tools that all growers should have either developed for their individual farms or have at their fingertips!
Specific resources have been designed to assist growers in discussions with their clients, whether school tours, community supported agriculture (CSA) members or u-pick customers, on food safety practices that they are implementing on their own farm and the role that each of them play in keeping our food supply fresh and safe.
To find more resources, click on strawberry food safety

Now is a great time to start thinking about ways to improve your production practices for the future and with that in mind we are happy to introduce the recently published extension publication ‘Sustainable Practices for Plasticulture Strawberry Production in the Southeast’!
http://content.ces.ncsu.edu/sustainable-practices-for-plasticulture-strawberry-production-in-the-southeast/
This publication outlines and includes:
Recommendations for incorporating cover crops into plasticulture strawberry production.
A Link to a video that demonstrates plug inoculation
Help calculating Nitrogen inputs from compost and cover crops
Production Calendar
Links to other resources.
The management practices are backed up by considerable research and some were discussed by Amanda McWhirt during her presentation at the Strawberry Expo. If you have questions you can contact her at almcwhir@ncsu.edu.

Freezing injury in strawberry is easily seen by cutting the crowns length-wise. In this video we demonstrate this technique to help you assess whether the strawberry plant crown has been injured by cold weather in late fall and/or winter. Strawberry plants are quite resilient, and even if you see evidence of internal cold injury to crown tissues, do not automatically assume that there will be a serious crop reduction.

The risk management materials on this portal cover topics ranging from marketing and human resources to legal and food safety issues. Crop insurance products are presented in addition to disaster assistance programs and agricultural contracts. You will find links to relevant risk management organizations and other resources that will help reduce the risks for your operation.

Whether you rely on overhead sprinkler irrigation or floating row covers to protect your strawberries, you will find one instrument as indispensable as a good weather forecast — a hand-held digital thermometer. Learn how to measure blossom temperature with this tool in this video

Figure 1. Temperatures will be back down in teens across the central piedmont this Friday morning. Is this something to be worried about? That will depend on crop stage? See next figure. Figure MORE »Posted: Yesterday

Dear Growers, Agents, Agronomists & Friends, We are starting to see larger temperature swings from cold to warm that are typical of this time of year as the pattern that favors cold temperature MORE »Posted: Yesterday

Record lows will be recorded all throughout the Southeast on Thursday night/Friday morning. More detailed state maps and minimum temperature details are provided in this advisory for VA, SC, NC, TN, KY, and MORE »Posted: 2/19/15

As spotted wing drosophila (SWD) has become established throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe, it has become increasingly important to understand the impacts this pest has had in different crops and regions. MORE »– from Spotted Wing DrosophilaPosted: 12/11/14

Twospotted spider mites are the most common and significant pest of strawberries grown in North Carolina. Mite management strategies include conventional miticides, organic miticides, and biological controls. See the North Carolina Agricultural Chemicals Manual for MORE »– from EntomologyPosted: 7/10/14

North Carolina State University and North Carolina A&T State University commit themselves to positive action to secure equal opportunity regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, religion, sex, age, veteran status or disability. In addition, the two Universities welcome all persons without regard to sexual orientation.